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22' DODGE WATERCAR MODEL 822 HULL 453 "CALYPSO"

Current Owner: Chris and Janice Lucas
Previous Owner: Syd Herwig
Information: The first eight (8) photos were taken in 2008 and some in the late 80's @ Clayton Boat show by Debroah Z. Beyer and/or Steven Martini. The remaining photos were donated and taken by Gregory and Dave Tilley.

According to the boat's owner, Chris Lucas (Syd's son in law), Calypso came from the 1000 Islands are to Manotick, Ontario sometime in the 1940's. It was used as a ride boat. Syd Herwig bought the boat in 1959 and used it continuously until 2009 when he passed away. Syd was considered an antique boat "legend". The boat still features its original bottom

Q&A from the boats current owner Chris Lucas:

(1) What was Syds profession? Syd worked for the federal government as a supervisor in a metallurgical research lab.

(2) I heard he used to sleep in the engine compartment at boat shows? Yes that's true. Calypso has a pine floor which runs from the front of the engine to the stem and there's a fair amount of space in there to bed down. Story goes that at Clayton one year Syd and Jimmy Potter slept overnight in the "Calypso Hotel". Early the next morning someone noticed the bow was very low in the water and thinking the boat was sinking went over to investigate. Upon opening one of the hatches a grumpy Syd emerged. "I thought the boat was sinking", the man said, "Well if it was sinking we'd be the first to know." replied Syd!

(3) Syd would drive the boat down from Upper Rideau to Clayton right? Syd lived in Manotick, Ontario which is a suburb of Ottawa on the Rideau River. Calypso lived in a boat house on his property. He would travel from there by water to Kingston, Ontario (Rideau Canal) and from there to Clayton (approx. 100mi by water). He did this many times.

(4) How does Calypso run? For many years Calypso had a Ford Flathead V8 (100HP) which was a source of endless frustration for Syd (he liked to go fast). In the mid 80's he put in an M318 Chrysler and Syd's happiness was complete. The boat really moves out and handles like a sports car. George Crouch knew what he was doing when he designed that bottom.